Customs 'seize' heroin worth Rs 190 million at Karachi Airport

Pakistan Customs on Friday claimed to have seized unprecedented quantity of heroin worth Rs 190 million at Karachi airport. This was stated by Muhammad Zahid Khokar, Chief Collector along with Tariq Huda, Collector Preventive, at a press conference held at Customs office located at airport premises here on Friday. He said that the action was taken on a tipoff that an attempt to smuggle the narcotics would be made through mishandled baggage.
Reacting on it, the customs staff was made vigilant and on February 25, 2016 the staff posted at International Arrival Hall of Karachi airport intercepted one hand bag black & Red color marked as "MBH Collection" attempted to be cleared through PIA Rush Tag No XH-289466 as mishandled baggage. Inquiry from staff of PIA Baggage Service revealed that the said hand bag had arrived from Heathrow UK by PIA's Flight No PK 78'8.
The hand bag was scanned through scanning machine which indicated the presence of stuff in the powder form. Therefore, the bag was diverted to examination counter for detailed examination. The examination conducted in the presence of PIA staff and two witnesses led to the recovery of 07 paper bags/Packets off white color containing Brown Color Powder weighted around 20.40 kilograms.
The sample of the recovered powder was instantly tested with Narcotics Testing Kit which gave positive inference of heroin (brown Color). The recovered heroin was seized under the relevant provisions of CNS Act, 1997. Preliminary inquiry from PIA staff and perusal of the record & passenger profile retrieved from PIA System transpired that a passenger namely Mahmood Imran, holding British Passport no GB 707255055, had boarded on PK-757 from Lahore to London on October 29, 2015 and booked three packages weighing 39 kilograms bearing Tag Nos. PK-LHR-1 97446, PK-LH R-1 97447 and PK-LHR-1 97448 as accompanied baggage.
However, at Heathrow Airport, (London), the above named passenger claimed only two packages and left one hand bag bearing Tag No PK-LHR-197447, which remained in the custody of PIA Baggage Service at London Airport from October 29, 2015 till February 24, 2016 and was ultimately booked to Karachi under Rush Tag No XH289466 on PK-788.
The recovered heroin was seized after completion of all legal formalities and FIR of the case has been lodged in the Court of Special Judge (Narcotics), Karachi. Further investigation is in progress. Efforts are being made to arrest the accused and his accomplices involved in the offence. The value of seized heroine in the international market is Rs 190 million. This is one of the major seizures of narcotics by Pakistan Customs and the largest ever seizure at the International Arrivals, JIAP.